siew dai en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- [ˈsjuː˨˦ ˌt˭aɪ˨] (Singapore)
Etymology
From Chinese, though ultimate source language unascertained. Apparently 少底, literally "less base", from 少 (“less”) + 底 (“base; bottom”) in Cantonese pronunciation, referring to the condensed milk, used for sweetening, that sits at the bottom of the cup. In Cantonese this would be pronounced siu² dai², but the compound has not been traced in Cantonese.
Meanings
-
(Singapore, colloquial, informal, not-comparable) Less sweet (as a preference when ordering coffee or tea).
“I like coffee better.” He smiled. “Kopi-O siew dai.
2012, Low Kay Hwa, I Believe You:Ordering a cup of Kopi C Siew Dai (Coffee with evaporated milk and less sugar) makes you feel very Singaporean.
2007, iwatch_ueat, “Tong Ya coffee: super crispy kaya toast!”, in ishootieatipost, retrieved 01 Apr 2016:But nothing beats that cup of kopi-o siu dai from the nearby kopitiam uncle who knows you best.
2009, Dominic, “Hello, Google!”, in blog.gothere.sg, retrieved 01 Apr 2016:Before he opens it, he asks what I would like to drink, then shouts out to a woman stirring a cup of Milo vigorously: “One kopi peng siew dai, and one teh si for me.”
2015, Wong Kim Hoh, “Former kopi boy's still full of beans”, in The Straits Times (Singapore), retrieved 01 Apr 2016:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| siu dai | alternative | lexicographic |